Desperate Measures
by Stargazer04
Summary: The crew are home and happy. But what happens when their peaceful existance is shattered by a familiar foe?
1. Peace at last?

_A/N: You all know the legal mumbo jumbo. I own nothing except the Janeway children. The rest are property of Paramount._

* * *

It was 2383 and 5 year old Taya Molly Janeway was running through the house at 0700 in the morning. She opened the door to her parents' bedroom and jumped on the bed, waking her sleeping mother.

"Mommy, wake up mommy, it's my birthday." Taya said. Kathryn Janeway sleepily turned to her daughter.

"Alright, I'll get up in a minute. You go and find your prettiest clothes and I'll get your daddy and brother up." Janeway said.

"Yeah!" Taya squealed. She bounced off the bed and ran off. Janeway went to lie back down when she was pulled into her husband's arms. She turned to face him and kissed him.

"Morning." She said. Chakotay nuzzled her neck.

"Was that our little munchkin reminding us it's her birthday?" Chakotay asked.

"For the millionth time this week." Janeway asked.

"Can you blame her? She's 5, that's a very excitable age." Chakotay said. He tangled his fingers with hers. Her wedding ring glinted in the sun pouring in through the window.

"5 years Chakotay, can you believe we've been married for 5 years?" Janeway said.

"5 wonderful years." Chakotay said.

"And many more to come." Janeway said. She rolled over to kiss him when they were interrupted by another little voice.

"Want a cuddle, mommy." 2 year old Jason Thomas said. They laughed as Janeway rolled over to pick up her little boy. She brought him in the middle.

"Of course you can have a cuddle." Janeway said. The little boy hugged his mother tight and then moved to his father.

"I'm hungry." Jason said. Then he got off the bed. Janeway and Chakotay sat up.

"I'm guessing that's our cue to get up." Chakotay said.

"Whatever gave you that idea?" Janeway laughed. She quickly kissed him before getting up and looking for her children. Chakotay shook his head as he watched his family leave the bedroom and decided it was time for him to follow. He found Taya rifling through her wardrobe trying to find something to wear and Janeway in Jason's bedroom finding him some clothes. He decided to help Taya.

"Help me daddy, I can't decide what to wear." Taya said.

"Alright, I'll help." Chakotay said. He went into his daughter's room.

* * *

An hour later and the family were all up and dressed and eating breakfast from the replicator. After they had finished, the kids had gone off to play while Janeway and Chakotay were clearing away the dishes. The computer suddenly rose up and beeped at them. The screen said incoming transmission.

"Who could that be?" Janeway said. She activated the computer and her former chief engineer, B'Elanna Torres-Paris came on the screen. "B'Elanna, what an unexpected surprise."

"I sort of had a feeling you'd be awake, how are you?" B'Elanna asked.

"We're really good, thank you. How are Tom and Miral?" Janeway said.

"See for yourself." B'Elanna said. She moved aside to let her former commanding officers and now her friends witness the scene unfolding behind her. They saw 6 year old Miral Paris run screaming in the background being pursued by her father, Voyager's former pilot, Tom Paris.

"Miral, give daddy the PADD. Come on sweetie I need it." Tom said.

"No!" Miral yelled. Laughing, she bolted.

"B'Elanna, can't you do something?" Tom said.

"I can't I'm talking." B'Elanna said.

"Who are you…Captain, hi." Tom said, sheepishly looking at the screen.

"You don't work for me anymore, Tom, so stop calling me Captain." Janeway said.

"Sorry, old habits die hard. If you'll excuse me, I have some design specs for the engines of the new class of starship being built to get out of the hands of a 6 year old girl." Tom said before darting off.

"Is it always like that?" Chakotay said.

"Pretty much. I was just calling to confirm today. What time do you want us there?" B'Elanna said.

"Oh 1600, if you can make it." Janeway said.

"Are you kidding? Miral has not stopped talking about this for weeks. She keeps asking 'when is Taya's birthday? Is it her party yet? There would be hell to pay if she couldn't go." B'Elanna said.

"I wonder where she gets that temper from." Chakotay mocked.

"Very funny. How are the kids?" B'Elanna asked. Just then, Taya and Jason came in.

"Who are you talking to?" Taya asked. Then she saw the screen. "Aunt B'Elanna!"

"Hi Taya, Happy Birthday. How old are you?" B'Elanna said.

"I'm 5. Almost as old as Miral. Are you coming to my party?" Taya asked.

"Yes I am. Uncle Tom and I will be bringing Miral later." B'Elanna said.

"Yeah!" Taya squealed as she bounded off.

"Was Miral that excitable?" Janeway said.

"She still is. And I see Jason is getting bigger, how old is he now?" B'Elanna asked.

"He's 2 years old and already showing signs of the terrible twos." Janeway said.

"I'm sure it's not that bad." B'Elanna said.

"We're not kidding. He's as bad as Taya when she's in one of her moods." Chakotay said.

"It's a phase, they all go through it." B'Elanna said. "Well, I'm going to have to go to mediate between my husband and my daughter and then get some things sorted before I come later."

"Well, thank you for calling and we'll see you when you got here." Janeway said.

"Looking forward to it. Torres out." B'Elanna said. Then the communication ended.

"Well, we had better get ready for the party." Janeway said.

"Aye Aye, Captain." Chakotay said. She playfully hit him in the chest.

* * *

A few hours later, everything was set up for the party and the children were playing outside. Janeway and Chakotay were sitting watching them. She was resting against him while he had his arms around her.

"This is perfect. Just the kind of life I've wanted. Away from Starfleet, aliens and battles, not having to worry about anyone but my family." Janeway said.

"And yet, when I first met you, you never struck me as the type to settle down to the traditional life. I always thought you'd remain in Starfleet right to the end." Chakotay said, stroking her hair.

"For a while, I thought that too. But then you changed everything. When we got together, it gave my life a new sense of purpose, someone to live for other than myself. And then when I became pregnant with Taya I still went on like I was still a Captain. I was hit with a harsh reality when I lost her twin. I realised that I didn't want to be the kind of parent to her that my father was to me. It was time for me to settle down." Janeway said.

"I love you." Chakotay said.

"I love you too." She said, turning to kiss him. They then turned to see the children playing nicely. They then heard the computer receiving a transmission.

"I'll get that." Chakotay said, getting up. Janeway sat up and watched her children. Suddenly, 2 figures materialised next to the children. Janeway shot up when she saw them, but not before the figures grabbed the children.

"Mommy!" Taya cried.

"NO!" Janeway shouted. She tried to run towards them, but she was shot in the shoulder. She cried out as the blast hit her and threw her to the ground. The children were crying. Then the figures vanished with the children. Chakotay ran out when he heard the commotion.

"Kathryn!" He called as he saw her on the ground. He ran to her; saw her injured shoulder and the distress on her face. "What happened? Where are the children?"

"They took them. They took them." Janeway sobbed.

"Who took them?" Chakotay asked, obviously concerned that someone had shot his wife and took his children. She looked into his eyes.

"The Borg."


	2. Unexpected help

_A/N- You all know the legal mumbo jumbo. Voyager and all characters belong to Paramount, except the Janeway children.

* * *

In the Paris residence, Tom had managed to wrestle the engine schematics from Miral and begin working on them some more while B'Elanna and Miral were deciding what to wear for Taya's party._

"What about the blue dress?" B'Elanna said.

"My eyes are blue, they'll clash." Miral said.

"Ok, green?" B'Elanna suggested.

"Taya's wearing green." Miral said. B'Elanna sighed.

"What about the purple?" B'Elanna said, holding up a purple dress with a layered skirt, each a paler shade of the colour.

"Ok. I'll put it on and be ready in a minute." Miral said.

"Ok, I'll see you downstairs." B'Elanna said. She walked out of her daughter's room and went to join Tom.

"Has she decided what she's wearing?" Tom said.

"Finally." B'Elanna sighed again.

"Well, she takes after you. You can never decide what to wear." Tom said. B'Elanna hit him playfully. Then Miral came down. Her parents just looked at her.

"How do I look?" Miral said.

"Like a little princess." Tom said. He rushed around and scooped his daughter into his arms and twirled her around. She giggled. B'Elanna smiled.

"Ok, daddy, but you have to get dressed now." Miral said.

"She's right, Tom. I'm sure the engine specs can wait for a few hours." B'Elanna said.

"It looks like I have no choice. I'm out numbered 2 Klingons to one measly human." Tom said.

"Part Klingon." Miral said with a pout.

"I stand corrected." Tom said. "She's definitely your daughter."

"Go on, get out of here." B'Elanna laughed.

"Alright, I'm going. I love you." Tom said.

"I love you too." B'Elanna said.

"Love you daddy." Miral said.

"Love you too honey." Tom said. Then he went upstairs. He was up there for 10 minutes when B'Elanna came to him. "What are you doing here?"

"To spend a minute with my husband." B'Elanna said.

"Where's Miral?" Tom asked.

"She's playing downstairs. The doors are all locked. She's safe." B'Elanna said. Then they heard something. Miral screamed.

"MOMMY! DADDY!" She screamed.

"MIRAL!" B'Elanna screamed. She and Tom bolted down the stairs, but by the time they got there, she was gone.

"Miral!" Tom called. There was no answer. They searched the house and the surrounding areas frantically, but she was nowhere to be found.

"She's gone, my baby." B'Elanna sobbed hard. She clung to Tom, whose eyes shone with tears.

"Who could have done this?" Tom said.

"I don't know, but when I find, I will make them regret it." B'Elanna said.

"We can't do this alone. We'll go to Starfleet, see if they can help us and if not, go ourselves." Tom said.

"When we find those responsible, Tom, don't expect me to hold back." B'Elanna said through her teeth before burying her head in Tom's shoulder and sobbing hard.

* * *

Back in Indiana, Chakotay had managed to heal Janeway's shoulder with a dermal regenerator.

"How does that feel?" He asked.

"Much better, thank you. Why would they do this, Chakotay? Why would the Borg take our children and not assimilate the planet?" Janeway said.

"I don't know." Chakotay said.

"I should have done more, but I couldn't help them." Janeway said as she started to sob again. Chakotay pulled her into a hug.

"You did everything you could. They ambushed you and came out of nowhere." Chakotay said, teas brimming in his eyes.

"For all we know, they could be in Borg maturation chambers." Janeway said.

"Kathryn, I don't want to hear you speak like we've already lost them. If there's even the slimmest chance of saving them, it's a risk worth taking." Chakotay said. He kissed her.

"You're right. I'm sorry. We need to do something." Janeway said.

"I know, but we don't even know where to start." Chakotay said. Then, as if in response to Chakotay's statement, the computer beeped indicating an incoming transmission. They activated the screen and saw the groundskeeper of Starfleet Academy, Boothby.

"Boothby? I'm sorry, but this is a bad time. What can we do for you?" Janeway said.

"Captain Janeway, thankfully I found you. I'm not the Boothby you know from Starfleet Academy." Boothby said. It suddenly dawned on them.

"Species 8472." Janeway said.

"That's right and before you think we've come to invade you, we're actually here to warn you." Boothby said.

"Warn us about what?" Chakotay said.

"The Borg are coming and they have a devastating plan in store for your people." Boothby said.

"The Borg have already been. They took our children." Janeway said.

"I was afraid of that. We got here as fast as we could, but obviously not fast enough." Boothby said.

"You said that the Borg have a devastating plan for Earth, can you tell us what that is?" Chakotay said.

"And what it has to do with our children?" Janeway said.

"We've been developing advanced cloaking technology and we've been monitoring the Borg when we intercepted one of their damaged vessels and extracted an information node from the ship. We found that they plan to adopt a new plan of action since their last few direct assaults on the Federation have proved a failure and inefficient, as they put it. They decided to attack what you cared about the most." Boothby said.

"The children." Janeway almost whispered.

"Yours aren't the only ones who are missing. They also found a more efficient use for the children. Assimilated adults if separated from the collective are easier to reinstate into society and also become defective earlier." Boothby said.

"Children will grow up as Borg and last longer. They'll also be a hell of a lot harder to reintegrate into society." Janeway said.

"You'll remember the trouble you had with Seven of Nine." Boothby said.

"So what do we do?" Janeway said.

"We want to help you, and we know you still a virus that would attack the cybernetic implants of the Borg." Boothby said.

"But how do we rescue the children?" Chakotay said.

"I don't know yet, but it would involve you going back." Boothby said.

"Where?" Janeway and Chakotay said together.

"The Borg's domain." Boothby said.

"The Delta Quadrant." Janeway said.

* * *

_What do you think? Love it? Hate it? Let me know._

* * *


End file.
